Switching between text data and audio data based on a mapping

Abstract

Techniques are provided for creating a mapping that maps locations in audio data (e.g., an audio book) to corresponding locations in text data (e.g., an e-book). Techniques are provided for using a mapping between audio data and text data, whether the mapping is created automatically or manually. A mapping may be used for bookmark switching where a bookmark established in one version of a digital work (e.g., e-book) is used to identify a corresponding location with another version of the digital work (e.g., an audio book). Alternatively, the mapping may be used to play audio that corresponds to text selected by a user. Alternatively, the mapping may be used to automatically highlight text in response to audio that corresponds to the text being played. Alternatively, the mapping may be used to determine where an annotation created in one media context (e.g., audio) will be consumed in another media context.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 obtaining an annotation that comprises text data or voice data input from a user; 
 storing an association between the annotation and a specified location within a textual version of a work; 
 inspecting a mapping between a plurality of audio locations in an audio version of the work and a corresponding plurality of text locations in the textual version of the work, wherein the mapping is based on an audio-to-text analysis of the audio version of the work, to:
 determine a particular text location, of the plurality of text locations, that corresponds to the specified location, and 
 based on the particular text location, determine a particular audio location, of the plurality of audio locations, that corresponds to the particular text location; 
 
 providing the annotation and the particular audio location to a media player to cause the media player to display or play the annotation during playback of the audio version of the work at a particular time based on the particular audio location; 
 wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 obtaining further comprises a server receiving, over a network, the specified location from a first device; 
 inspecting and providing are performed by the server; and 
 providing comprises the server sending the particular audio location to a second device that executes the media player. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the second device and the first device are the same device. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1  wherein obtaining, inspecting, and providing are performed by a computing device that is configured to display the textual version of the work and that executes the media player. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining, at a device that is configured to display the textual version of the work, the specified location without input from a user of the device. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving input from a user; and 
 in response to receiving the input, determining the specified location based on the input. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein:
 providing the particular audio location to the media player comprises providing the particular audio location to the media player to cause the media player to process the audio data beginning at a current playback position, which causes the media player to generate audio from the processed audio data; and 
 causing the media player to process the audio data is performed in response to receiving the input. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the input selects multiple words in the textual version of the work; 
 the specified location is a first specified location; 
 obtaining further comprises obtaining a second specified location, within the textual version of the work, that is different than the first specified location; 
 inspecting further comprises inspecting the mapping to:
 determine a second particular text location, of the plurality of text locations, that corresponds to the second specified location, and 
 based on the second particular text location, determine a second particular audio location, of the plurality of audio locations, that corresponds to the second particular text location; and 
 
 providing the particular audio location to the media player comprises providing the second particular audio location to the media player to cause the media player to cease processing the audio data when the current playback position arrives at or near the second particular audio location. 
 
     
     
       9. One or more storage media storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes performance of the method recited in  claim 1 . 
     
     
       10. One or more storage media storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes performance of the method recited in  claim 2 . 
     
     
       11. One or more storage media storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes performance of the method recited in  claim 3 . 
     
     
       12. One or more storage media storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes performance of the method recited in  claim 4 . 
     
     
       13. One or more storage media storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes performance of the method recited in  claim 5 . 
     
     
       14. One or more storage media storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes performance of the method recited in  claim 6 . 
     
     
       15. One or more storage media storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes performance of the method recited in  claim 7 . 
     
     
       16. One or more storage media storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes performance of the method recited in  claim 8 .